Jessie Garza Jr., Director
Parent & Community Involvement
Yakima School District
104 North 4^th Avenue
Yakima, Washington 98902

PERSONAL:  My parents were among the 1^st 7 Hispanic families who migrated to the Yakima Valley in 1939 and settled in 1942.  I grew up in the Yakima Valley, attended schools in the Toppenish School District, graduated from Toppenish High School, attended and graduated from Heritage University with a degree in Education.  My wife Kathy Garza works for the Toppenish School District where she counsels students, we have 3 children who are graduates of Washington State University.  Our oldest is a High School Science Teacher in Vancouver, our second oldest is an Architect in Tacoma, and our youngest is a 1^st Grade teacher in Richland, Washington.

EMPLOYMENT:

LANGUAGES:

·         Fluent in English and Spanish, both written and oral.

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

·        I currently serve on the Hispanic Academic Achievers Program, HAAP Board.This year the students selected by the HAAP board received over $250,000 in academic scholarships awarded by the HAAP Board, Whitman College, University of Washington, Washington State University, Heritage University and other state institutes of higher education.

·        I currently serve on the Yakima Police Athletic League, YPAL Board who is responsible for overseeing the activities and polices administered.  Over the years the YAPL program has been responsible for partnering with various groups and organizations to keep at-risk kids in school. 

·        I currently serve on the University of Washington, UW Educational Partnerships & Learning Technologies – Yakima Valley Community Partnerships Advisory Board. 

·        From 1992 to 2005, I served as an executive member of the Mid-Valley Providers Consortium, MVPC which consists of valley school districts and representative from over 65 organizations including; Toppenish, Wapato, Granger, Zillah, Sunnyside, Grandview, Mabton, Mt. Adams and Yakima School Districts, Department of Social and Health Services’ local CSO administrator, Employment Security, Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic, Yakima Health Department, Private Industry Council, local business and local community representatives. 

·        I served on the Toppenish City Board of Adjustment’s from 1980 to 2002.  This body of members is responsible for reviewing and approving special housing permits for the City of Toppenish.

·        I served as an active member of the Washington State Character Education Coordinating Board.  This board was responsible for overseeing the planning and developmental stages and the implementation of Character Education traits in Washington State.

·        For 23 years I served as a member of the Washington State Association of Community Action Agencies, which is a state wide network of Community Action Agency Directors representing all Washington State Counties whose mission is to be in the forefront of efforts to eliminate poverty, empowerment and capacity building for communities, individuals, and families; listening to the poor, responding to their needs, and assuring the public voice for their issues and to assure preservation of quality services.

·        I served as an active member of the Washington State Migrant Housing Committee.

·        In 1997, I wrote a grant to fund a pilot project for Toppenish EAGLE High School, which involved an innovative approach to teaching “Science” in the classroom by integrating the use of racing pigeons into the curriculum.  This project has received local, national and international attention and recently was included in a 15-minute video documentary that is being aired worldwide and on “Prime-Time Television” in Beijing China.  In a recent “Research and Evaluation” of the project performed by Eastern Washington University – Masters of Social Work Students, it was reported that during the 6 years of operation, the project had achieved tremendous and positive outcomes, increasing students’ grades, their attendance in school and social improvements among hard to reach and at-risk students.  I continue to receive inquires about the project and have been asked to speak on numerous occasions to various groups in the country, including a “Live Radio” talk show that was aired all across the world via internet.

OTHER CURRENT BOARDS AND COMMITTEES

Since I began working for the Yakima School District, I have either continued with many of the boards and advisory committees listed above, and/or become a member of the following boards and committees.

• Citizens for a Safe Community, CSC Board Member
• Hispanic Academic Achievers Program, Board Member
• Learning Support Advisory Board Member
• Mid-Valley Providers Consortia, MVPC Executive Board Member
• University of Washington Advisory Board
• GEAR-UP Advisory Committee Member
• Yakima County Auditor Advisory Committee Member
• Yakima Police Athletic League, YPAL Board Member
• Hispanic Community Leader’s Group
• Early Learning Advisory Committee Member, ESD 105
• Office of Superintendents of Public Instruction, OSPI Partnership for Student Success Anchor Team Member